Teabags have fooled us into thinking all teas taste and look the same. . . . This makes our job so rewarding! We introduce tea-drinkers to some of the highest-quality teas available--unlike any others they have tasted. High-quality, whole-leaf tea offers tremendous variety, more healthy properties, and a better taste. According to scientific research, high-quality, fresh, whole-leaf teas may be up to 300% healthier than low-grade teabags.

Ordering tea in other countries means a cup full of fragrant jasmine blooms in China. . . a fresh, potent bright green cup in Japan. . . sweet orange tea in Turkey. . . thick mint tea in northern Africa. . . .

But in this part of the world, when people think of tea, they typically imagine a flat bleached-paper bag filled with a nondescript black powder. Most people haven't had the opportunity to experience the amazing varieties of teas that exist and are popular in other parts of the world. This is unfortunate! Especially considering the complexity of flavor and intoxicating aroma found in a cup of whole-leaf gourmet tea.

Mass-produced teabags are filled with "fannings" or "tea dust", which consitute the cheapest, lowest-quality grades possible. Fannings and Dust are found at the bottom of the barrels or (as rumor has it) swept from tea-factory floors. Also, because tea-dust has a higher surface-to-air ratio, low-grade teabags go stale very quickly-well before they reach grocery-store shelves. The standard thin-paper box and plastic wrap--which does little to protect the nutritional value of the leaves--only enhances the problem. Nearly all of the teabags found on grocery store shelves are well-past their prime; the small bits of tea infuse unevenly in hot water so the resulting brew may have more caffeine and less healthy benefits.

Additionally, many companies use cheap, synthetic chemicals to flavor their tea. Unfortunately, these artificial chemicals are not required by law to appear on the labels, so we may not even know what we're drinking!

Fortunately, the popularity of high-quality, whole-leaf tea is on the rise as consumers learn more about the amazing health benefits and stress-relieving properties found in a daily cup. Octavia Tea also offers Silken Sachets (gourmet teabags) that combine the quality of whole-leaf tea with the convenience of a teabag.

High-quality tea is comparable to fine wine. Teas are often named for the estates where they are grown and have distinctly different tastes based on their country of origin. Tea can be described using �wine� vocabulary; Words like brisk, citrusy, toasty, fruity, nutty, mellow, subtle, robust, full-bodied, earthy, vegetal, strong, sweet, delicate. . . are some descriptions commonly used. Unfortunately, mass-produced tea bags have taken all of these complexities and flavors and turned them into one, monotonous, bland beverage.